Vector Mag: When Does u+w > mag(u)+mag(w)?

In summary, to find the circumstances when the value of mag(u+w) is greater than mag(u)+mag(w), consider the triangle formed by the two vectors and their sum. The longest possible length of the third side of the triangle will be when u and w are perpendicular to each other. Otherwise, for parallel or antiparallel cases, mag(u+w) will be equal to mag(u)+mag(w).
  • #1
KatlynEdwards
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Homework Statement


If a vector "u" is added to a vector "w", under what circumstances will the value of mag(u+w) ever be greater than mag(u)+mag(w)?

Homework Equations


Magnitude = Sqrt( (Sum of x components)^2 + (sum of y components)^2 )

The Attempt at a Solution



I really, have no idea where to begin... I guess I could set up an equation and try to solve for the variables... Could someone point me in the right direction?

Thanks for all the help!
 
Last edited:
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  • #2
Think of your two vectors as representing two sides of a triangle, and their sum as the third side of the triangle. What is the longest possible length that that third side in terms of the lengths of sides u and w?

Note: You either have to extend the concept of triangle here a bit to accommodate the cases where u and v are parallel or antiparallel, or you can cover those as special cases.
 

1. What is a vector?

A vector is a mathematical object that represents both magnitude (size) and direction in space. It is typically represented by an arrow, with the length of the arrow representing the magnitude and the direction of the arrow representing the direction.

2. What is the difference between u+w and mag(u)+mag(w)?

u+w refers to the vector sum of two vectors u and w, which is the result of combining the magnitudes and directions of the two vectors. On the other hand, mag(u)+mag(w) refers to the sum of the magnitudes of the two vectors. In other words, u+w takes into account both magnitude and direction, while mag(u)+mag(w) only considers magnitude.

3. When does u+w > mag(u)+mag(w)?

U+w is greater than mag(u)+mag(w) when the two vectors are not in the same direction. In other words, if the two vectors are pointing in different directions, the vector sum will be greater than the sum of the magnitudes.

4. Can u+w ever be equal to mag(u)+mag(w)?

Yes, if the two vectors are in the same direction, then u+w will be equal to mag(u)+mag(w). This is because the vector sum will be in the same direction as the individual vectors, resulting in a larger magnitude.

5. How is vector addition calculated?

To add two vectors, you can use the head-to-tail method or the parallelogram method. In the head-to-tail method, you place the tail of one vector at the head of the other vector, and the resulting vector will be drawn from the tail of the first vector to the head of the second vector. In the parallelogram method, you draw the two vectors from a common point, and the resulting vector is the diagonal of the parallelogram formed by the two vectors.

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